

XIII 

 ^n (Recount irif§ ^(Ki\xxt 



There were chipmunks everywhere. The stone 

 walls squeaked with them. At every turn, from early 

 spring to early autumn, a chipmunk was scurrying 

 away from you. Chipmunks were common. They 

 did no particular harm, no particular good ; they did 

 nothing in pai'ticular, being only chipmunks and 

 common, until one morning (it was June-bug time) I 

 stopped and watched a chipmunk that sat atop the 

 stone wall down in the orchard. He was eating, and 

 the shells of his meal lay in a little pile upon the big 

 flat stone which served as his table. 



They were acorn shells, I thought, yet June 

 seemed rather early in the season for acorns, and 



175 



